LACIE external terabyte hard-drive revving. Any ideas?

I don't know if it is the fan in my LACIE terabyte hard-drive (my system backup) that is giving out, or if it is the hard-drive per se. It makes this revving sound constantly, and it sounds like it's activating the fan at max for a second and then turns it off, and then turns it on again. I tried capturing the sound here.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• technicalk
• support

[youngfupanda]

I have exactly this problem on my LACIE external 1.5 TB drive.  Just started a couple weeks ago. It was a replacement of an older external drive on warranty, but the warranty is expired now. Anyone know if there is an easy way to replace the fan and/or temp sensing unit??

[katayamma]

That's a fan. I'd worry more if the fan wasn't coming on. It sounds like it is the temperature sensor and/or the fan control logic.

Most external drive enclosures don't have fans now and if you replace the enclosure, do NOT buy one w/o a fan unless it's a drive docking station. I use the Black X by Thermaltake. The drive drops into the top of it, so it's not a full enclosure. You don't have to worry about drive heat because it stands upright and natural thermal flow will keep it cool.

[felinoid]

Try getting a new hard disk exterior. Find out what kind of HD is in the drive and just get a replacement exterior and transplant. If that sound is the fan then the fan itself is defective. Replacing the exterior is a lot cheaper than replacing the drive.